Gamers are always looking for hardware to make their experiences more immersive, and once again we get to be jealous of professional-grade simulator equpiment. Australia’s Deakin University has assembled a flight simulator on a heavy-duty robotic arm that provides six degrees of freedom and as much as 6 G of force coming from rapid motion.

The video above shows the sim in action. When the training pilot moves the joystick, the plane on screen moves as expected. So does the entire rig, screen, seat and all. The rig was built by the university’s Center for Intelligent Systems Research (CISR) with support (presumably funding) from Australia’s Department of Defense. It uses a modified industrial robot arm and allows two axes of continuous rotation, which makes it possible to train on some complex fighter jet moves. It also incorporates a motion-tracking system and a 3D display for increased immersion.

The use in military training is obvious, but it’s possible that other vehicles could be simulated as well. The video below shows a similar system used to simulate Formula 1 driving, complete with the fast motion and forces inflicted on a driver on a level surface.

Playing Battlefield 3, with its variety of vehicle options, would be an unusual, but probably very cool use. Or maybe go more traditional, with a high-speed, futuristic racer like Wipeout and provide the G-forces that action gamers are looking for.